The closure of the Skylane Motel has received a good deal of press. However, when looking at Colonie motels that house the indigent, we must realize there are two distinct issues.

First, one must look at the town's decade-long failure to deal with building code violations in these facilities. This failure has promoted the growth, and allowed the existence, of filth-ridden motels.

To make sure these motels abide by state building and fire laws is absolutely the town of Colonie's responsibility.

Consider what happened last year in Niagara County. As reported by the Niagara Gazette on Sept. 12, the county's social services commissioner, citing an opinion from the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, advised that counties cannot refuse to pay for shelter allowances for reasons not spelled out in state law, such as poor housing conditions.

As a result, County Manager Jeffry Glatz observed that, "Counties and social services units don't have the authority or the ability to enforce building/housing code; that regulatory work is assigned to cities and towns only."

However, Albany County is not off the hook, and that's the second issue. How can anyone in county government place indigent people in housing they know is filth-ridden?

I have been dealing with this issue for years on both the town and county levels. For example, in 2007, I introduced a resolution in the County Legislature to prohibit use of these motels as housing for the indigent. I asked the county to "cease until ... all building code violations are rectified and proof of building code compliance ... is provided." The Democratic majority amended my resolution to encourage the town to enforce housing rules and simply turned their backs on the indigent.

As the situation with Colonie motels evolves, I now applaud my fellow legislators on both sides of the aisle who realize that this situation is repulsive. The Legislature's chair has called for a hearing on this issue, and I hope people come to express their views.

The fight on behalf of the indigent must continue. Write to your state legislators, as I am doing, asking them to review Safety Net, and all other state requirements to insure healthy living conditions in these motels. After all, if you and I wouldn't stay there, why are the indigent being placed there?